OMG Halo.com

This week, I list the ups and downs of certain weapons when pitted head to head. Instead of telling you what I think, I just give you the pros and cons of each, to better help you decide which best suits your style.

Battle Rifle Vs. Carbine

Both the UNSC Battle Rifle and the Covenant Carbine are fine weapons to take with you to the front line. They both offer fantastic accuracy, decent range and pack quite a punch.

The Battle Rifle fires in three round bursts. While it's great if you're stationary, even the slightest bit of movement will decrease the accuracy a considerable amount and, at far range, great decrease the rifle's effectiveness. This is offset by the sheer firepower the gun has to offer.

Despite the Battle Rifle's burst fire, the Carbine can actually fire faster if you have a quick trigger finger. Because of this, you can take an opponent down faster with repeated headshots. However, the Carbine's shot are actually weaker than that of the Battle Rifle, so to notice any difference they would have to be headshots.

Brute Shot Vs. Rocket Launcher

Those who favor destruction will likely gravitate towards these two beasts. The Rocket Launcher offers slow yet devastating firepower while the Brute Shot - though weaker - is capable of fast, rapid-fire onslaughts.

The Rocket Launcher requires precision and skill. Rockets are slow, but incredibly powerful. The launcher only holds two rockets at a time, so if you miss with both, you'll likely get killed during its slow reload process. Your shots must count.

The Brute Shot offers a good deal less power than the Rocket Launcher, but it holds six rounds at a time and it's capable of firing them all off in rapid succession. It favors constant bombardment over brute force. It's a faster weapon, overall, so if you're quick on your toes, this one's for you.

UNSC Sniper Rifle Vs Covenant Beam Rifle

Both sniper rifles offer immense damage at long range. However, if you're not very accurate with a gun, they probably won't do you much good.

The UNSC Sniper Rifle requires slightly more marksmanship skill than the Covenant Beam Rifle, if only because of the greater recoil. That said, it offers more power, and it kills instantly with a headshot and will completely drain someone's shields if hit anywhere else.

The Covenant Beam Rifle isn't as powerful as its UNSC counterpart, but it's capable of two shots in quick succession with very low recoil. However, it will then overheat and there will be a small delay before you can fire again. Your best bet is two kill someone with those two shots and quickly hide as your weapon cools down.

Plasma Rifle Vs. SMG

If you're looking to tear it up in close combat, look no further than the SMG and the Plasma Rifle. Both offer dual wielding mayhem that can easily turn the tide of battle.

This is a weird comparison. I say that because - while the SMG and the Plasma Rifle - both have their ups and downs, they're both also dual-wieldable. Your best option is to use one of each to cover both bases.

The Plasma Rifle is idea for taking down shields. A steady stream of plasma will drain an opponent's shields in seconds, paving the way for something more suited to an unshielded opponent. The Plasma Rifle can overheat after continued use, but it's entirely possible to get a person's shields down before this happens, and then you should be using...

...the SMG is ideal for unshielded opponents. The weapon's range is very limited, but in close quarters it can make you almost unstoppable. I say almost because there are a few weapons that will give you a strong disadvantage if your opponent wields them.

Energy Sword Vs. Gravity Hammer

The melee arena is dominated by these two awesome powers and they couldn't be more different.

The Gravity Hammer is a Brute weapon because it's ideally suited for, well, brutes. It's big, heavy, and slow, but to say it packs a punch is a massive understatement. The hammer is more than capable of toppling a vehicle and will actually propel mongooses quite a ways. If used on a tightly packed group of enemies, you'll send bodies flying.

The Plasma Sword is the dream weapon for the ninja in all of us. It's perfect for sneaking up on unsuspecting foes and taking them out quickly. It doesn't have near the power of the Gravity Hammer, but it features unlimited use, something the hammer doesn't. And while the hammer has a bigger radius, it's possible to lunge with the sword to cover short distances.

• << prev
• next >>